Chelsea are reportedly facing an anxious wait to determine the severity of Reece James' latest hamstring injury.
The Blues captain has been limited to just 30 appearances in the Premier League since the start of the 2022-23 season.
That has been a consequence of a succession of injuries, mostly relating to the 24-year-old's hamstrings with the latest keeping him sidelined for the opening two months of the campaign.
Head coach Enzo Maresca took the decision to thrust James back into action on October 20 for the fixture at Liverpool, and the right-back subsequently remained available across the following three weeks.
However, earlier this week, Maresca revealed that James had suffered another hamstring setback, picking up an issue during training on Tuesday.
James has naturally been ruled out of the game with Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, the player himself taking to social media to acknowledge he has another challenge ahead of him.
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What is the latest development?
As per the Daily Mail, Chelsea are now waiting for James to undergo a scan on the injury.
Despite the issue occurring at the start of this week, it will not be until next week when the academy graduate is further assessed.
That effectively means that, as expected, James will not be considered for a return against Heidenheim in the Conference League, nor the Premier League fixture against Aston Villa which will follow at the end of the week.
With 11 matches to be played between Saturday and the end of 2024, Chelsea are hoping that James' injury is only minor, even if they will likely minimise the risks that they take on him upon his eventual return.
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How will Maresca handle development?
Malo Gusto is already viewed as a natural alternative to James and the Frenchman has started nine of Chelsea's 11 Premier League fixtures this season.
That said, the 21-year-old has endured his own fitness issues and Maresca is unlikely to use him in every game during a hectic schedule.
Chelsea will soon face Aston Villa, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the space of a week, bringing Axel Disasi into the equation for a rare Premier League start.
With keeping Gusto fit now a necessity, Maresca is unlikely to use him in Conference League fixtures against Heidenheim, Astana and Shamrock Rovers.
Darren Plant
